Beverage container with drinking straw



g- 23, 1955 s. BARMHERZIG 3,268,?92

BEVERAGE CONTAINER WITH DRINKING STRAW Filed July 16, 1964 H616 i 40 /1NVENTOR Q}; SAMUEL BARMHERZIG .6 FIG, 4 BY w and Ska/11w ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,268,792 BEVERAGE CONTAINER WITH DRINKING STRAW Samuel Barmherzig, 705 Bradford St, Brooklyn, N.Y. Filed July 16, 1964, Ser. No. 383,029 6 Claims. (CI. 22.0-90.2)

This invention relates to beverage containers and the like, and more particularly to a container having a drinking tube which automatically extends from the interior of the container when a closure member is removed.

It has previously been proposed to provide in a bottle or other container a drinking straw which extends automatically or can be extended manually from the top of the container when the top is opened. For example, in one prior embodiment the straw is buoyant or is provided with a float which causes the straw to rise when a cap of the container is removed. In another prior embodiment the straw is attached to the removable top of the container by means of a cord, so that the straw is pulled upwardly when the top of the container is opened. In a further prior embodiment the drinking straw is folded into the container and unfolds when the hinged top of the container is opened. In another prior embodiment a tab at the top corner of the container is torn off to expose the upper end of the straw, which may then be grasped and manually extended from the container. In still another prior proposal a somewhat resilient straw is flexed between the bottom of the container and a removable cap at the top, so that the straw extends through a sleeve in the top of the container when the cap is removed.

The prior proposals suffer from various deficiencies, among which are complexity, high cost, unreliability, the need for an opening in the top of the container, the need for manual withdrawal of the straw, and restrictions with respect to the type of container which may be utilized and the type of contents.

It is a principal object of the present invention to pro 'vide an improved article of manufacture in which a drinking tube extends automatically from a container when the container is opened.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved structure of the foregoing type which is especially adapted for the provision of a side opening in the container, so that the top of the container may be kept free of encumberances in order to permit easy stacking for shipment or display.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of the foregoing type which may utilize containers of different size, shape, or material, which may be used with carbonated or noncarbonated beverages, which provides positive sealing of the container contents, and in which the container may be readily opened and rescaled.

Briefly stated, an embodiment of the present invention comprises a beverage container with a side wall having an opening therethrough adjacent to the top of the container. A removable closure is provided for sealing the opening. A drinking tube or straw is located inside the container and has a lower portion secured to the side wall of the container and an upper portion which is resiliently biased away from the side wall by engagement of the closure member with the upper end of the tube. When the closure member is removed, the upper end of the tube extends through the opening automatically by virtue of the resiliency of the tube. If the closure is replaced, the drinking tube is forced back into the container and the opening is rescaled. The closure may later be removed and the drinking tube again extended automatically.

The foregoing and other objects, advantages, and features of the invention, and the manner in which the same Patented August 23, 1966 are accomplished will become more readily apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate preferred and exemplary embodiments, and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a first form of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view of l the embodiment of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FiGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a modification of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGURE 1 thereof, reference numeral 10 designates a container, such as a cylindrical can, containing for example, fruit or vegetable juice or a carbonated or non-carbonated soft drink. The container may have a variety of shapes, may be provided in different sizes, and may be formed of different materials, such as metal or plastic. In the form shown the container has a side wall 12, top 14, and bottom wall 16 forming a closed chamber for liquid contents.

The side wall is provided with a circular opening 18 (FIGURE 3) adjacent to the top wall. A tubulation 20 (FIGURE 5) extends through the opening 18 in closely fitting relation and is provided with an integral disc-like flange 22 in juxtaposition with the inner surface of the side wall 12. The tubulation has a circumferential external bead 24 spaced from the side wall, and a ring 26 is snapped over this bead so as to occupy the space between the bead and the side wall to exert a force upon the bead tending to draw the flange 22 into snug engagement with the side wall. The flange 22 and the ring 26 may have contours which complement the contours of the .side wall so as to ensure sealing between the flange and the side wall, and the ring passage may be tapered slightly to facilitate placement of the ring. If desired, the flange may also be bonded to the side wall.

The closure comprises a cap 28 adapted to fit over the tubulation as shown in FIGURE 5. The tubulation may have another circumferential external head 30 to provide a snap :fit with the cap. The cap is formed of a resilient material and may have a depression to receive bead 36. An internal cylindrical cup 32, formed integrally with the cap, fits closely within the tubulation for a purpose to be described. The cap may be held captive by the ring 26 by means of a flexible band 34, as shown in FIG- URE 2, so that the cap is retained adjacent to the container when the container is opened and may be replaced for rescaling the container.

For dispensing the liquid contents of the container a straw or drinking tube 36 is provided interiorly of the container. As shown in FIGURE 4, the straw has a lower portion 38 which extends upwardly along the side wall from a lower end 40 located adjacent to the bottom wall. The surface of the lower end may be cut at an angle to the bottom wall so that the contents of the container may be drawn into the straw even though the bottom of the straw is in close proximity to the bottom of the container. The lower portion 38 of the straw is secured to the side wall. As shown in FIGURES 2-4, this may be accomplished indirectly by securing the straw to the flange 22, which in turn is held against the side wall. For this purpose the flange may be elongated toward the bottom of the container and provided with a band 42. The band encircles the straw and notched portions 44 of the flange but not so tightly as to compress the straw.

The straw has an upper portion 46 adapted to diverge from the lower portion about a bending point located at the band 42. The straw is formed of a resilient material, so that if portion 46 is forced away from the side wall of the can, it tends to move toward the side wall under its inherent resilient bias. The upper portion of the straw is bent rather sharply (of the order of 90) at 48 to provide a terminal portion 50 which extends transversely toward the side wall. The upper end 52 of the straw is aligned with the opening 18 in the side wall and fits closely within the cup 32 of the cap, as shown in FIGURE 5, to provide a seal. There is thus a double sealing action, the cap sealing the passage through the tubulation and also sealing the passage through the straw. Terminal portion 50 passes through the tubulation with sufficient play to provide an air inlet. The edge of cup 32 may be rounded to facilitate insertion with respect to the tubulation and the straw.

When the closure 28 is in place, as shown in FIGURE 5, the upper portion of the straw is forced to the posi tion shown in FIGURE 4 against its resilient bias. Some bending of the straw occurs at 48 as well as at band 42. If now the closure is removed, the resilient bias forces the upper portion 46 to move to the phantom line position of FIGURE 4, the terminal portion 50 being extended through the opening in the side wall and being exposed exteriorly of the container. The contents of the can may then be sipped through the straw. If it is desired to save some of the contents for future use, the cap may be replaced, forcing the straw back to the solid line position illustrated in FIGURE 4 and rescaling the container. The sealing action is sufficient to maintain carbonization, the size of the opening in the can being rather small. If desired, the closure may be provided with a frangible member which must be broken to open the can initially.

It will be noted that the straw has the general shape of the numeral seven when the straw is pressed into the can, the terminal portion 50 being a minor part of the length of the straw, and the lower portion 38 being secured to the side wall to provide positive, resilient extending action by virtue of the bending at 42 and 48. Typically for a tin can 4%" x 2 /3", the straw may be formed of a tough resilient plastic and may have an overall length of about 5 /2" and an OD. of about ,4 Band 42 may be located approximately half-way between the bend 48 and the bottom 40, and terminal portion 50 may be about 1%" in length. The bottom 40 may be located about two millimeters from the bottom wall of the container. The tubulation 20 (ID. about projection about its flange 22, the ring 26, and the cap 28 may also be formed of plastic, such as the material from which the straw is formed. The opening 18 in the side wall may be about and is preferably made by piercing the wall from the outside to the inside, so that any rough edges or burrs will bite into the plastic flange 22.

FIGURE 6 illustrates a modification, wherein the straw is secured directly to the side wall of the can by means of a strip 54, such as a metal strip soldered or welded to the wall of a metal can. Flange 22' then need not be elongated. Otherwise this embodiment is like the embodiment previously described.

While preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes can be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims. Accordingly, the foregoing embodiments are to be considered illustrative, rather than restrictive of the invention, and those modifications which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be included therein.

The invention claimed is:

1. In combination, a beverage container having top, bottom, and side walls, said container having an opening therethrough adjacent to said top wall, closure means exterior to said container for controlling the sealing of said opening, and a resilient drinking tube in said container having a lower portion extending upwardly along said side Wall from the vicinity of said bottom wall and an upper portion, said tube being secured to said side wall at the junction of said lower portion and said upper portion and said upper portion being free to bend with respect to said lower portion to diverge from said lower portion resiliently, said upper portion having a terminal portion extending toward said opening and having an end aligned with said opening, said closure means engaging said end when said opening is sealed and urging said upper portion away from said opening, the resiliency of said upper portion moving said end through said opening when said closure is removed, whereby said terminal portion extends exteriorly of said container.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said drinking tube is substantially seven-shaped when said opening is sealed.

3. The combination of claim 1, said drinking tube having a bend at the point where said upper portion meets said terminal portion, said terminal portion extending transversely to said side wall, said bend being located adjacent to said side wall when said terminal portion is extended exteriorly of said container.

4. The combination of claim 1, further comprising a tubulation extending through said opening and receiving said terminal portion of said tube with substantial air space therebetween, said closure means mating with said tubulation for sealing said opening, said tubulation having a flange interiorly of said container in juxtaposition with said side wall, said lower portion of said tube being secured to said flange.

5. The combination of claim 4, said closure means comprising a cap fitting over said tubulation and having an internal cup extending into said tubulation and receiving the adjacent end of said drinking tube therein .in sealing relation.

6. The combination of claim 1, wherein the lower end surface of said drinking tube is inclined with respect to the bottom wall of said container.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,175,735 10/1939 Banks 215-l 2,710,108 6/1955 Zarra 2151 3,152,730 10/1964 Piker 222569 FOREIGN PATENTS 653,199 5/1951 Great Britain.

References Cited by the Applicant UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,253,579 1/1918 Deanes. 2,052,307 8/1936 Kennedy. 2,117,071 S/1938 Ring. 2,150,439 3/ 1939 Hamilton. 2,395,734 2/ 1946 Georgopoulos. 2,547,362 4/1951 Berry. 2,887,256 5/ 1959 Thornhill. 2,981,444 4/1961 Root. 3,122,287 2/ 1964 Makowski.

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

RAPHAEL H. SCHWARTZ, THERON E. CONDON, Examiners. 

1. IN COMBINATION, A BEVERAGE CONTAINER HAVING TOP, BOTTOM, AND SIDE WALLS, SAID CONTAINER HAVING AN OPENING THERETHROUGH ADJACENT TO SAID TOP, WALL, CLOSURE MEANS EXTERIOR TO SAID CONTAINER FOR CONTROLLING THE SEALING OF SAID OPENING, AND A RESILIENT DRINKING TUBE IN SAID CONTAINER HAVING A LOWER PORTION EXTENDING UPWARDLY ALONG SAID SIDE WALL FROM THE VICINITY OF SAID BOTTOM WALL AND AN UPPER PORTION, SAID TUBE BEING SECURED TO SAID SIDE WALL AT THE JUNCTION OF SAID LOWER PORTION AND SAID UPPER PORTION AND SAID UPPER PORTION BEING FREE TO BEND WITH RESPECT TO SAID LOWER PORTION TO DIVERGE FROM SAID LOWER 